


No More Regrets

by Straya



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Angst, F/M, Implied Mikleo/Sorey, Romance, Rough Sex, Smut, Sorey (by mention), Spoilers, semi-au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-24
Updated: 2017-07-24
Packaged: 2018-12-06 06:30:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11594868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Straya/pseuds/Straya
Summary: Semi-AU.  Rose has been distracted as of late and Dezel has been avoiding her.  The other seraphim decide to intervene, concerned that their friends' issues with one another were not as settled as previously thought.





	No More Regrets

**Author's Note:**

> This is a semi-AU fic taking place post-game. In this version of events, Dezel survived the encounter with Symonne in Pendrago and by the time this story occurs, is serving as a Sub Lord under Shepherd Rose. (This story also assumes the DLC chapter never happens.) Originally, this was meant to be a fun little prelude fic to a larger, multi-chapter AU I'd like to write that chronicles Rose and Dezel's adventures post-game, including the adoption of a kid they decide to raise together (what I'm calling my "Paying It Forward" AU). Somewhere between the start and completion of this one-shot, however, I ended up changing the timeline of events to where this story is no longer relevant to the larger AU. I was having too much fun writing it, however, so I decided to finish it and let it be its own stand alone story. It's a rather self-indulgent piece, but one I hope a few other people might get some enjoyment out of, regardless.
> 
> Special thanks to my friend Sol, who encouraged me to post this story and who has been helping me sort out ideas for "Paying It Forward."

The sound was one they'd all learned to recognize, but not yet one they'd come to accept as, well...acceptable. Judging from the expressions of the three travelers at the next table over, the four seraphim weren't the only ones judging Rose as she sat back in her chair, sighing in contentment after unleashing a belch that would've made a drunken soldier blush. By this point, Mikleo had long since given up trying to correct the recently ordained Shepherd's awful table manners, the water seraph simply shaking his head with a light, resigned sigh of his own. Edna maintained her silence as well, but her expression mirrored an appropriate amount of annoyance. Lailah, on the other hand, had not yet given up.

"Rose..." Her tone was one of mild exasperation, a faint blush of embarrassment coloring her cheeks as she prepared to deliver a little admonishment. "You really shouldn't do that at the table."

"Well, I wasn't going to hold it in until we got outside," came the casual response, Rose shrugging as she took the cloth napkin from her lap and set it on the table alongside her empty plate. "Besides, in some places belching after a good meal could be seen as a compliment!"

"In what places, exactly?" Mikleo asked, speaking up with a frown.

"How should I know? I mean, sure, I've yet to find any place here on Glenwood, but it's not like this is all there is to the world, right?" Despite not having a real answer, Rose remained undaunted. "Chill out, already. It was just one burp, jeez."

Edna narrowed her eyes a bit. "We already drew enough attention with you ordering enough food for five people. We didn't need you sounding as though you also ate all of it yourself."

"Man, you guys are grumpy this morning! Did one of you keep the others up by snoring all night?" Well, if she couldn't talk her way out of her bad table manners, Rose figured she might as well shift the subject...or the blame. "Or did Dezel talk all of you into getting on my case?"

"Tch, don't look at me. Not my doing." At the far end of the table, Dezel reached up to draw his top hat a hair lower. "Once a heathen, always a heathen, anyway."

"He does have a point." Picking up her parasol, Edna slipped out of her chair to head for the door. "Anyway, I'm tired of hanging around inside."

"Huh, you're sure eager to get going." Oh well. Rose set out an appropriate amount of gald to pay the bill, then stood up to make her way out...only to be stopped as Lailah set a hand on her arm. "What? Don't tell me I miscounted or something."

"Oh, no, it's just that..." The fire seraph glanced after Edna, who rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Edna and I need to speak with you briefly. In private."

Rose glanced down the table at Dezel and Mikleo as they stood as well, but the water seraph looked just as clueless as she felt at the moment and as for her long time guardian... Well, the wind seraph didn't even bother to look her way, merely turning away to head for the inn lobby without a word. Typical.

"Okay. I guess we could just go back to the room for a minute, since I haven't turned in the key, yet."

"That will be fine." As she moved away from the table, Lailah looked after the two boys. "If you two will wait for us in the lobby, we'll just be a moment."

"Uh, sure." Lavender eyes followed Rose, Lailah and Edna as they turned past the front desk and headed down the hallway. Mikleo then turned to Dezel as the wind seraph seated himself on the bench near the inn entrance. "Any idea what that's about?"

"No clue. Whatever it is, not our business, anyway."

Sitting down on the other side of the bench, Mikleo let his gaze linger on the now empty hallway a moment before he sat back with his hands resting on his knees. For several seconds, he was silent. Then: "Dezel, has everything been alright between you and Rose?"

The air around Mikleo stirred a little as Dezel "glanced" his way. "Just fine. Why?"

"It seems like you've been avoiding her recently. Usually you two sit next to each other at the table, but lately you've been at the opposite end from her."

"So? Can't a guy get some space?"

"Sure, but..." Mikleo trailed off, gaze dropping to the floor a second. "You two did work everything out, didn't you? It's been months since--"

"It's fine." Dezel's harsh growl cut him off, silencing him. "Don't worry about it."

Huffing out a sigh, Mikleo folded his arms across his chest, his brow furrowed. For nearly a full minute, he said nothing. Yet as the air currents prodded at him once more, checking on him, he found he couldn't quite hold his tongue. "...you really should be more grateful for this chance, you know."

Beside him, Dezel turned his head slightly. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means exactly what you think it does, Dezel. You were so bent on getting your revenge a while back that if Sorey hadn't slipped up and accidentally told Rose what was going on, she never would've known to confront you. And if she hadn't done that and talked enough sense into you so that you wouldn't try something stupid on your own, that night in Pendrago could've gone very wrong."

"Don't you think I know that? I screwed up, alright? How many times do I have to apologize to everyone involved?"

Despite the wind seraph's tight, almost threatening tone, Mikleo responded without hesitation. "I'm not talking about apologies! I'm talking about making good use of your time with Rose! One or both you could've been killed if you'd stuck to that plan you told us about later, using her and the wind armatus to take Symonne down."

"Why don't you just shut up and mind your own business! What goes on between Rose and I doesn't really concern the rest of you!" Getting up, Dezel moved around Mikleo to head for the door, clearly intent on stepping outside to wait on the others...

...except that he only got a few steps before the other seraph caught him by one arm. Having gotten to his feet, Mikleo managed to hold Dezel in place a moment, if just by having the sheer audacity to grab him. Pale gray eyes narrowed behind shaggy bangs as Dezel glared back over one shoulder, the look alone a demand to be released. For a blind being, his eyes were frighteningly expressive when visible.

"It might not concern us directly, Dezel, but after what happened with Sorey I'm not going to sit by and watch you screw this up all over again!"

Dezel tensed in Mikleo's grip, a mere moment away from slipping out of his grasp via the wind and escaping outside. But the mention of their previous Shepherd - of the water seraph's childhood companion - gave him pause.

"...what the hell does Sorey have to do with this?"

Mikleo could've punched him for that, for being so damned thick as usual when it came to understanding the feelings of others. As it was, he trembled slightly out of sheer frustration, but managed to rein himself in. He always had been the cooler head between himself and Sorey, after all, the one to think before acting, to be the logical one in heavy, emotional situations. The others used to joke that he was a good eighty or so percent of Sorey's impulse control. Always there, always watching, always helping...

And, he supposed, maybe in that way he and Dezel weren't really so different. But that was part of why it was so important the older seraph understand what he was getting at.

"Do you really have to ask that?" Mikleo began, his grip tightening a fraction. "He's become the pillar of purifying light for Maotelus' sake. We have no idea how long he'll have to sleep in order to accomplish his goal and I... I don't know when or if I'll see him again."

Dezel turned aside. "If you're looking for comfort, go bother someone el--"

"You know what I mean, Dezel!" It was a tone harsher than Mikleo was accustomed to using, his frustration and anger finally getting the better of him as he pushed at the wind seraph, forcing him to turn back around. "I don't know if I'll ever get a second chance to see Sorey again, but you got your chance with Rose! Stop playing this dumb game of distancing yourself from her whenever something weird or uncomfortable comes up between the two of you! Just _talk_ to her if there's a problem. Don't _waste_ this."

Stunned to silence for a long moment, Dezel simply stared at Mikleo through clouded eyes, a restless breeze between them before he turned his line of sight back toward the door. Briefly, it seemed as though nothing said had gotten through to him, but then one gloved hand came to rest over Mikleo's, gripping it for just a second.

"...sorry. About Sorey. And... Yeah, I know what you mean." His voice was low, carrying what sounded like a hint of shame. "It's just...not that simple."

"Dezel..." If he was honest with himself, an apology was not what Mikleo had expected. That he had gotten one showed Dezel was improving with time, allowing himself to feel more and be a bit more open with the people who were supposed to be not just his traveling companions, but also his friends. Yet it was also clear that there were still barriers in place. "You don't have to make it complicated, you know. You don't have to keep making up for what you already apologized for, either."

Dezel sighed quietly and gave Mikleo's hand a bit of a pat before finally urging him to let go. As the water seraph's hand slid away, Dezel sat down again, elbows resting on his knees. "Huh, sounds like something Sorey would've said."

Sitting down again as well, Mikleo allowed himself a small, if rather weak smile. "It's what I think he would've said if he was here right now. And you know he'd be right."

"Tch, shame he isn't here, then. To hear you admitting he's in the right for once." Hearing Mikleo manage a brief chuckle at that, Dezel shrugged before continuing. "Guess you'll have to tell him when you meet again, whenever that is."

"Better if I can tell him that and that you actually listened to his once-in-a-blue-moon good advice."

"Don't press your luck, kid. But I'll take it under advisement."

Small smile lingering, Mikleo leaned back against the bench and decided to let that be the end of it. Either Dezel would listen or he wouldn't. Patience was the name of the game, now.

* * *

"Alright, door shut, privacy achieved. What's so important that we had to come back to the room to discuss it?"

Standing by the bed, Rose watched as Lailah moved away from the door to take a seat in one of the chairs, folding her hands in her lap. Nearby, Edna stood casually and lightly bouncing her parasol on one shoulder, already appearing bored with the entire affair. Whatever said affair was supposed to be about, anyway.

"Well..." Lailah hesitated briefly, concern settling over her features before she continued. "It's about Dezel."

Rose felt her heart skip a beat, but outwardly she merely frowned and arched an eyebrow. "Okay. What about him?"

"We've noticed lately that you two seem to be having some difficulties," the fire seraph went on, clearly trying to be cautious in her approach. "Dezel seems to be avoiding you somewhat and neither of you are speaking to one another much."

Unfortunately for Lailah, her earth counterpart was about as subtle as a brick to the back of the head. Edna never had been one to beat about the bush.

"Admiring the view is a different story though, isn't it?" Edna smirked. "Less talking, more staring at his ass in the middle of battle."

Lailah's eyes widened. "Edna!"

"What?" Though she did her best to appear shocked by the accusation, Rose had to admit she suddenly felt a little rattled...because they weren't wrong. Not that she would fess up so easily, oh hell no. "Why would I be doing that when there are hellions to beat down and purify? Besides, he's got too much on to really see anything, anyway."

"So you admit you've been looking." Edna was eyeing her a bit more closely now, accusation in her blue eyes.

"No, I'm just saying! The guy can't even wear a pair of overalls correctly, alright? Jeez, it's not like it's tough to see that much."

"Rose, the point is that, aside from the two of you not communicating that much recently, whatever is going on between you both is proving to be rather hazardous," Lailah interjected. "In the last week alone, each of us, Dezel included, has had to help you out of a bad situation in the middle of a battle."

"He's distracting you," Edna added helpfully, irritation tinging her tone. "It's dangerous for all of us. Even little Meebo had to bail you out once. It's embarrassing."

Holding her hands up before her, Rose shook her head, aggravation starting to set in. "Look, I've just been...kinda worn out lately, what with getting used to all my new duties as Shepherd. A couple of good nights worth of sleep and everything will be totally fine."

There, Lailah and Edna exchanged glances, even the latter looking just a mite concerned. Rose looked between the pair, realization dawning that she wasn't getting off the hook quite so easily.

Truth be told, she had started to worry over the last few days that one or more of them had noticed what she'd been doing. Even Rose herself was having a small degree of trouble reconciling the feelings that had recently surfaced, given what had happened between her and Dezel in the past. This couldn't possibly be right, could it? Being attracted to someone who had possessed her for years and planned to use her as a tool of revenge. Granted, the latter had never actually come to pass thanks to Sorey slipping up one night and accidentally admitting what he knew. And Dezel had only taken her as his vessel initially because he had no other way to shield himself from Malevolence at the time. They'd been over that before. So...maybe it wasn't so odd...?

There was also no getting around the fact that once she'd cooled off after being angry with him and they'd had a chance to get things worked out over time, Rose was frequently reminded through armatization of how well she and Dezel seemed to fit together. It had been difficult to face up to at first, but there was no doubt it felt like they were meant to mesh as one, similar to how Sorey and Mikleo claimed they worked with one another. Rose had to suppose that was because of how long the wind seraph had been hanging around her, yet as her trust in him had started to strengthen again, the sense of familiarity that came with Dezel's presence was more a welcome one than anything. Though gruff, overly serious and even rude at times, he was the closest Rose had to an actual _partner_. She also understood that even if he was rough on the outside most of the time, there was a good person somewhere on the inside.

It also didn't hurt that he had a nice set of legs if the way his pants fit his thighs was a fair indicator. His broad shoulders were another pleasing aspect, and even though some might say his shaggy hair made him look like a seraph sheepdog at times, Rose had started to find the look endearing. The real kicker was his smile, however. Rarely did Dezel ever smile in a genuine way, but the few times Rose had gotten to see it, it'd looked damn good on him.

And okay, fine, yes, she had been checking him out lately. That did include in the middle of battles when Dezel was usually at his finest as a force to be reckoned with. She could only imagine that what she saw now was what her eyes had failed to perceive for several years, the kind of unyielding strength and ferocity that had helped protect the Windriders and then the Sparrowfeathers.

"Just talk to him already," Edna said, interrupting Rose's train of thought, which mostly revolved around what Dezel actually did look like under all those layers of clothing.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Talk to him about what? There's nothing TO talk about!"

"There probably shouldn't be, given your history with him, but since you've got wandering eyes there _is_ something you two need to discuss," Edna replied, hardly ready to give up so easily. "Personally, I don't care what you two decide on, just so long as you're not holding the rest of us up."

"Edna..." Lailah's tone was gentle, but still carried enough weight to get the earth seraph to ease up a moment. Nodding once, Lailah then turned her attention back to Rose, concerned still reflected in her eyes. "Rose, no matter how things turn out between you and Dezel, you should at least address your feelings for your own sake. Being emotionally torn for too long can open a pathway to Malevolence."

"So this is another one of those 'find your own answer' situations, huh?" Rose's brow furrowed as she leaned on the bed footboard. "Look, Dezel and I have already gone over everything that's happened like five times. If I have to hear him apologize one more time for it all, I'm probably gonna scream. He always looks like a dog that's been yelled at one too many times when he does it."

Edna couldn't quite resist the chance presented, mild amusement finding its way into her expression. "You say that like he doesn't already look like a shaggy dog half the time, anyway."

"Eh, point," Rose admitted with a small shrug. "But another point here is that there's nothing left to go over."

There was another moment of brief silence while Edna looked to Lailah, who sighed quietly and straightened the hem of her dress before speaking again. "Rose, can ask you a question?"

"Sure. Shoot."

"What is it that you plan to do with yourself when your time as Shepherd is over?"

Mild confusion settled over Rose's features. "Come again?"

"You don't plan to do this for the rest of your life, do you?" Edna cut in, letting her parasol swing by its curved handle over one of her fingers, her eyes following the motion of the tip as it lazily swept back and forth an inch or two above the floor. "The path the Shepherd walks is a lonely one and blah blah blah all that usual garbage. But you left an entire family and a business behind, right? Do you want to go back to that someday?"

"Well...yeah, I kinda do. I miss Eguille and the others. Someday I'd like to pass the mantle on – if there _is_ anyone to pass it on to – and go home. Not that I actually wear one like Sorey did." There was a pause as Rose considered her own words before looking a bit worried herself. "Wait, that's not the kind of uncertainty that's going to put us all in danger, is it?"

"Not if your conviction as a Shepherd outweighs your personal wants right now," Lailah replied. "And, in a way, you've always felt compelled to help others, haven't you?"

"Yeah, I have. Even if my means were different than Sorey's were."

"I don't think it should present a problem, then. Still, the point is that you may one day find a successor and settle back into the life you once knew. Should you decide to do that, would you be willing to go back without Dezel?"

Taken off guard by the question, Rose gazed back at the fire seraph with wide eyes a moment before rubbing the side of her neck with one hand. "I...guess I hadn't really thought about that before. Or even questioned it, really. I always figured he'd just follow me wherever I went. It's what he's always done."

"So it never occurred to you that he might decide to forge a new pact with whoever comes along next as Shepherd?" Edna asked, though she had her doubts about that ever happening, herself. Still, it didn't hurt to ask. The entire point was to make Rose consider all this carefully.

"I don't see why he would." Even Rose had to admit her tone that time sounded a tad on the defensive side.

"Think about it," Edna went on, undeterred. "You say you've both discussed everything multiple times, but something still isn't right somewhere. If Dezel's guilt is strong enough – and I'm not saying it still shouldn't be – he might think it's best to leave."

"I know he's still got issues, but I don't think things are that bad. He just needs more time to get over it." Despite her words, however, Rose had a feeling that her assumption may not be the case.

"Keep in mind that we aren't asking you to fix his problems, Rose. Ultimately, it's up to Dezel to find his own answers. Yet, his answers - both your answers - may be easier to find if you communicate with each other more openly," Lailah said as she finally stood up and closed the gap to gently set a hand on Rose's near arm. "Sorey and Mikleo went through the same trials at one point. I had faith that they would work out where they stood and where they wanted to go, and I think the same of you and Dezel."

Gaze dropping to where Lailah's hand rested, Rose felt the corners of her mouth tugging into a frown before she finally sighed in defeat. "Alright, alright. I get it. Maybe we can, I dunno, delay leaving for a bit while I get things worked out _again_ with tall, dark and grumpy."

Taking her hand back, Lailah offered Rose a fond, understanding smile. "Edna, Mikleo and I can wander about town for a bit while the two of you talk. We were all up early this morning, so I think we can afford to delay leaving an hour or so."

"Just don't waste that hour," Edna warned as Lailah walked to the door, the earth seraph taking the opportunity to parasol poke Rose in the side with each following word she spoke. "Work. Things. _Out._ "

"Ow! Okay, jeez!" Rose exclaimed as she pushed the parasol aside. "Just tell Dezel to get his ass in here on your way out."

After watching the two seraphim exit the room, Rose sat down on the bed to wait for the wind seraph of her crew to show up. She couldn't really see the point in this, but maybe it would at least get Dezel to quit avoiding her.

* * *

Sensing that their room door down the hall and around the corner had opened, Dezel raised his head somewhat. Edna and Lailah were on their way out, walking toward the lobby. Beside him, Mikleo noticed his fellow seraph's movement and also glanced up, standing when Edna and Lailah were nearly to them.

"Where's Rose?" Mikleo asked as Dezel stood up as well. "I thought we were leaving."

"We are," Edna responded coolly. "Just not right now."

"Dezel, Rose would like to speak with you for a little while," Lailah said as she looked toward the wind seraph, drawing the gazes of the other two in his direction as well. "Mikleo, Edna and I will meet up with you both in about an hour."

"Yeah, what about?" Dezel couldn't help but feel a brief, anxious jolt in his middle. If anything, this was an indicator that _he_ had been the subject of discussion behind that closed door. Normally he wouldn't care that much, but Rose was involved. That changed his stance on any matter all too quickly.

"If you want to know, go ask her," Edna said before prodding him in the legs with her parasol. "And try not to be your usual jerkish self."

"Ah, dammit! Knock it off!" Dezel growled as he moved aside and out of Edna's reach. "Fine! Whatever. Better to hear it from the source, anyway."

As he adjusted his hat and made his way down the hallway, he could just barely pick up on Mikleo's voice behind him, directed at the other two.

"I take it this is about the distraction problem?"

"Yes," Lailah responded quietly, though not quietly enough that the wind didn't carry her words. "We persuaded Rose to speak with him about it."

"Think anything will come of it?" Mikleo sounded strangely hopeful.

"It better," came Edna's voice, spoken in low tones. "Otherwise I'll tie them both up in Dezel's own pendulum lines and leave them alone to work things out that way."

The nervous feeling in Dezel's core intensified and he purposely turned the wind away from his fellow seraphim. By that point, he was standing in front of the shut door to their room, anyway. There, he hesitated briefly before lifting one hand to knock.

* * *

When the knock at the door came just a couple of minutes after Lailah and Edna had departed, Rose felt the sudden presence of butterflies in her stomach. A ridiculous sensation to have, since all she was going to do was go over the same old, same old with Dezel _yet again._ It would probably take all of five minutes, try both of their patience since they'd done this a number of times already and end with them going to meet up with the others early.

Of course, Lailah's words were still echoing in the back of Rose's mind. Those ones about eventually retiring from being the Shepherd, going home and, well, if anyone would be going with her. That was just silly, though. Dezel was like some kind of seraph shaped puppy – though a rather grouchy one at that – who followed her everywhere. Rose was fairly sure he wouldn't leave her side unless she ordered him away. Then again, he had been keeping his distance lately, so...

No. _No, no, no._ Don't over-complicate this. Too much thinking wasn't Rose's thing anyway. Better to just go with the flow and not make a mess of it all.

"Door's open," she called, hands on the mattress alongside her while she folded her legs one over the other at the ankle. Best to look casual about this.

The door opened a second later, the familiar form of Dezel filling a fair portion of the frame as he stepped inside. Immediately, Rose was reminded of how tall he was and how wonderfully broad those shoulders of his were and...

Well, there was part of the problem, wasn't it? Sitting there on the bed, faced with the seraph she'd been spending far too much time watching as of late, Rose was suddenly struck by just how long it had been since she's experienced a little intimacy. She hadn't so much as had a quick one night stand since joining Sorey's crew several months ago, an issue that had crossed her mind more than a few times, but seemed to be more an increasing need to satisfy as of late. Looking at Dezel, Rose couldn't help but wonder just what he looked like under all those layers of clothing. Surely the rest of him was as tight and toned as his thighs, which were all too easy to see with the way his pants hugged that particular part of his anatomy. But what about tattoos? Did he have any like Zaveid did? Or what about scars? Could seraphim even get scars? 

"Rose?" Dezel's voice roused Rose from her apparent stupor, causing her to shake her head once as though to clear it. "You wanted to talk?"

"Uh, yeah! Kinda," she began awkwardly before shaking her head again and getting to her feet as Dezel shut the door. "I guess I just wanted to make sure everything is, you know, still alright between us."

Dezel tilted his head slightly in question. "Yeah. Why wouldn't they be?"

Rose shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. For some weird reason, Lailah and Edna think something is up, but I tried to assure them everything's fine. I mean, really, the only reason I sent them out and had you come in is so I could double-check to satisfy them. Then we can all get on with things as usual."

"So are we done here?"

"Yeah, I...guess we are. Sure."

Shrugging a bit himself, Dezel turned back to the door to open it. Whatever. All this was just so pointless. Hardly had his hand come to rest on the door knob when Rose's voice stopped him, however.

"Wait... Can I ask you something real quick?"

Huffing out a light sigh, Dezel took his hand from the knob and glanced back, bringing Rose into his supposed line of sight again. "Yeah, what?"

"You wouldn't care if I found someone to, you know, satisfy certain needs with, right? It's been months since I've had so much as a one night stand, but I know you've been keeping an eye on me for most of my life, so..." Rose glanced aside, making vague motions with one hand as though hopeful that would explain the rest without her needing to continue. 

Dezel glanced away, his insides feeling less than settled again. "Tch, why would I care? Just as long as no one tries to harm you, doesn't matter to me what you do."

"Hmm, alright."

The wind stirred around them both briefly, Dezel half a moment away from exiting the room in a hurry. It could've just been his imagination, but he could have sworn Rose sounded...disappointed? No, it was just his mind playing tricks on him. Even if it wasn't, even if he wasn't wrong about her watching him a bit more closely lately, the entire situation was no good. With everything that had happened, he had no right to get any more mixed up with Rose than he already had. If she wanted to find someone to take to bed with her for a night, that was her business. His only say in the matter was that she remain safe. _That was all._

Again, he moved to open the door and take his leave, but the sound of Rose approaching stopped him cold. 

"What about you? Don't you ever feel the need to be with someone, even just for one night? I realize Zaveid probably shouldn't be the measuring stick for what seraphim want out of life, but he can't be the only one who enjoys a good time, right?"

It was probably the worst idea in the world, but as she spoke, Rose couldn't help but reach out with one hand to touch Dezel's side. He immediately went rigid at the contact, unmoving as she let her hand slip down, tracing the pleasing contour of his side to his waist. Though his jacket did get in the way somewhat, it couldn't hide what was beneath it entirely.

Dezel swallowed thickly, throat suddenly tight. It was a few seconds before he could manage a response, the silence hanging uncomfortably between them. "...no, I don't."

"Oh." Her hand fell away, disappointment so evident in her voice, it might as well have been a slap to the face. "I thought maybe... No. Nevermind. Sorry."

Again, Dezel was quiet for a long moment as he tried to force himself to come up with the words needed to put a stop to this. As much as a part of him longed to know Rose's warmth and affection, they were not his business to know. He didn't deserve to experience them.

"Do whatever you need to for yourself, Rose, but leave me out of it. And stop watching me so closely. I know you have been and I don't want your eyes on me."

"...is that why you've been keeping your distance from me?" Rose stared at his back, a mix of frustration and shock threatening to overwhelm her concern. "Listen, Dezel, this doesn't have to be so complicated! If you don't want to have a little fun, that's fine, but it's not like I'm asking you to give me the world for a one night stand."

"It's not the world I want!" The words were out before he could stop them, his own frustration suddenly getting the better of him. Immediately regretting the outburst, he grabbed the knob and pulled the door open. "Enough of this. We're done here."

"No, we're not!" Rose's hand smacked flat against the door, forcing it closed again. Defiant blue eyes glared up at him, the wind warning him to take a step back and away. "You know, I didn't think we had much to talk about, but I guess I was wrong. You've told me a lot about our shared past, Dezel, but I'm starting to think there's one thing you're still keeping from me."

Again he turned away from her, the sick feeling in his middle rapidly overtaking the rest of him. "No, there isn't. Just let me leave, Rose."

Immediately, Edna's words came flooding back in, leaving Rose standing there with her mouth half open and her heart threatening to jump into her throat. _'If Dezel's guilt is strong enough – and I'm not saying it still shouldn't be – he might think it's best to leave.'_ While caution outside of her work as an assassin and merchant was not something she used much, it was all too apparent that she needed to be careful, here. She was pushing too hard.

"Dezel. Hey..." Cautiously, Rose attempted to edge around to one side, to at least see a little of his face past his jacket collar, hat and the curtain of silver and green that hung down around his ears and past his jaw. "Just talk to me, alright? I promise I won't get mad."

Though he didn't shift his position on the whole, he still turned his head away, eyes shut behind his bangs. "I'm not afraid of your wrath."

"But you are afraid of something." Carefully, slowly, Rose took his near hand into her own. Feeling him tremble at her touch briefly, she set her other hand over his. "I promise I won't laugh at you, either, if that's what you're worried about."

"We shouldn't be doing this..."

"And if we don't, things might get harder later."

"Huh, and when did you start overthinking things like this? That's usually my job."

"Maybe since I realized how much I care about what happens to you. And where you'll end up down the road."

His fingers flinched in her grip, though he didn't attempt to draw away. "It shouldn't matter. I don't even deserve to be here in the first place."

In turn, her grip on him tightened a fraction. "Hey, remember it was me who decided you could stay after everything that happened. Sorey let me make that choice. If anyone has a say in what you deserve, it's me."

Silence. Slowly, Dezel took his hand back and stepped away again. "But you deserve better. Just--"

"Dammit, Dezel, let me decide that for myself!"

Before he could stop her, Rose stepped up to him and seized him by his jacket lapels, dragging him down to her level. Before he get a word of protest out, her lips found his, kissing him fervently. It was a calculated gamble, one that could either end in more much needed conversation or in him walking out the door and never coming back.

Fortunately, it was a gamble that paid off.

Dezel immediately froze, blind eyes wide with shock. But as they slid shut a beat later, a soft, needy whimper escaped him before he could stop it. His hands hovered near Rose's sides as though afraid to make contact, merely hanging shakily in mid-air until Rose saw fit to feel her way down his arms and direct his hands to her sides. Then she was touching his face, hands stroking his jaw and running down the sides of his neck, working a small, desperate groan out of him just before they parted. 

"...you shouldn't have done that." He was still shaking a little as he released her sides so he could take her hands from his jaw and neck. 

Her hands in his, Rose gripped his fingers, unwilling to release him so easily. "And why not? You seem like you enjoyed it."

"I... I don't..." He couldn't get much more out, unable to deny the truth. Unable to push her away.

"Dezel..."

Though still so uncertain, he was also still so full of want. As he released Rose's hands, she reached up to brush his bangs away from his eyes, seeing a degree of vulnerability there that she hadn't witnessed since he'd laid bare the truth of his existence as tied to her own. It had always struck her that his eyes were so expressive despite their blindness, but right now they really were like windows into his damaged heart and soul. There was so much fear and regret, there. So much pain. And yet it appeared as though there was also a desperate need for something else. Or more likely, _someone_ else.

"How long...?" she asked, gently stroking his cheek with her thumb. 

"I...I don't know," he admitted, voice barely audible. "My memories of the past are usually so scattered... But years, maybe. Probably since I lost my sight, at least."

Rose managed a small, fond smile. "That's a long time to carry a crush for someone."

"What good was it before Sorey showed up? And even after that, I had my revenge to worry about. I figured you'd hate me anyway for using you the way I did."

"And yet I don't." Leaning in, she kissed him briefly, the touch of her lips light against his. "Sure, I was angry with you for a while after but we're past all of that, Dezel."

His breath caught at the second kiss, another shiver running through him. "I still don't know that I can do this, Rose. If this just turns into a one night, er one day stand..."

"Maybe you're not the only one who wants more than that."

The air currents shifted, reflecting the wind seraph's surprise as Rose reached up to take off his hat and toss it onto the nearby desk. 

"You...you're sure about this?"

Rose smiled up at him, affection in her gaze. "Mm. Sit down, Dezel. We still have plenty of time before we have to meet up with the others and if I'm going to kiss you more, better if we're both comfortable."

Turning away, Rose walked back to the door and locked it before shedding her jacket. She tossed it onto the bed, then pulled off her boots and removed her belts. Blind eyes stared at her in disbelief as she made her way back over, giving Dezel a few light, playful shoves toward the chair behind him. It was a cushy piece of furniture, nicely upholstered and wide enough that he would be able to occupy the seat with her in her lap.

"Jacket and gloves off," Rose said with a coy smile as the back of Dezel's legs bumped into the front of the chair. "It's not fair if I'm the only one losing clothing."

Wordlessly, Dezel complied, setting his affects down on the nearby table before taking a seat. Rose climbed up into his lap after, straddling him with her knees on either side of his hips and seating herself on his thighs. The sensation of her weight pressing down on him earned her a shaky inhalation on his part as though he was still working to steady himself. Smirking a bit, Rose took his hands and placed them on her hips, but they only remained there for a second or two before Dezel removed them again.

"Rose, there's something you should know..."

"What? From the way you're acting, it's like you've never done this before."

"I...haven't." Dezel turned his head aside, cheeks flushed and teeth grit.

Rose blinked in surprise. "Wait, what? You're serious?" There was a pause as she considered something, then: "Hold up, don't tell me that was also your first kiss just a minute ago..."

Dezel swallowed, then nodded slightly.

 _Oh._ Oh dear. Rose sat back in his lap, suddenly feeling just a little guilty about forcefully kissing him in such a way. "Wow, that's...not what I expected. Sorry I made kind of a mess out of that situation. Though I guess this means there's no way you've had sex before, either. ...you do know how that works, right?"

"Of course I do!" he snapped indignantly, face turning even redder. "Only an idiot or a child wouldn't know that."

"Alright, alright, sorry." Despite the need for an apology, Rose couldn't help but smile a little. "Still, if you're worried about lack of experience, don't. I'm not going to make fun of you if things get awkward. Sometimes sex is like that."

"It's not just that," Dezel admitted, finally turning his blind gaze on her again. "It's that...I'm afraid that I want more than you can give me."

Rose's eyebrows arched. "Huh? What do you mean by that?"

With some hesitation, he took her hands in his again, gaze dropping as he felt over her fingers one by one. "What I said before about a one night stand... I wouldn't be in this for just the sex, Rose. I don't want it if it doesn't mean anything."

"It wouldn't be an empty gesture, Dezel. I meant what I said before, too, about wanting more than just one round in the sack with you."

"Rose..." He sighed heavily, giving her hands a squeeze before looking up at her again. "I'm going to want you. _All_ of you. And I won't want to share you with anyone."

"So what you want is for us to be exclusive to one another."

"Yeah... Something like that. Obviously if the arrangement doesn't work out, well, it doesn't and that should be the end of that. I'm not going to act like sleeping with me once makes you mine forever. Just..." He trailed off, shaking his head once, at a loss for how to put words to the rest of what he was feeling.

Rose had to smile at both the attempt and what Dezel could manage in terms of words. She could see what the issue was, now – he wanted something special with her. This shaggy guard dog of a seraph who had been following her about for years, crush weighing on him, wanted her to feel something for him. It was kind of adorable, really. And pretty endearing, especially given how hard he'd worked to keep his distance on that front because he felt she deserved better.

"I haven't had as long decide how I feel about you," she began, trying for once to choose her words carefully as she gazed into his silver eyes, "but I do know since I found my trust in you again, I've been reminded of how... _right_ working and fighting alongside you feels. Maybe it's because you've always been there, I don't know, but I also think you understand me better than anyone else and that's worth something. Maybe it's not exactly what you wanted to hear, but it's a start?"

Dezel nodded, relaxing a fraction. "It's actually more than I expected from the start."

Taking her hands from his, Rose stroked the sides of his head, letting her fingers slip between his surprisingly soft strands of silver, green tipped hair. Dezel's eyes closed in response, his breathing deepening as he turned his focus toward her touch and the slight shivers it sent up his back. Smiling fondly as she watched him, Rose leaned in so that he'd be able to feel her warm breath against his skin as she spoke.

"Do you mind if I make up for that rushed first kiss, earlier?"

His mouth curved ever so slightly in a small, if nervous smile of his own. "Do you have to ask?"

Rose chuckled before setting a hand along his jaw, thumb stroking his cheek and turning his head a bit. Closing the remaining distance between them, she kissed him tenderly, caressing his lips gently with her own and coaxing him into responding. Though briefly uncertain at first, Dezel soon followed her example as she pressed in gently, parting his lips to grant her access. As their contact deepened, Dezel put his arms around her almost instinctively in a gentle embrace. Rose hugged him in return and pressed her tongue into his mouth, feeling over the front of his sharpened teeth before further seeking him out. Dezel moaned softly as he reciprocated, rolling his tongue over hers and savoring every moment of their continued contact as he explored her mouth. By the time they parted, both of them were a bit out of breath.

"Mm, not bad for a beginner," Rose teased, kissing the corner of Dezel's mouth while sliding her hands from his shoulders down to his chest and sides. "And that tongue of yours has got some reach."

Dezel blushed at the apparent compliment. "It's always been that way. Odd shaped and kind of long."

"Yeah? You're just full of surprises, aren't you? Makes me wonder what else you're hiding, especially under all the layers of clothing you insist on wearing." As she spoke, Rose tugged at the edge of his shirt, grinning like Chesire Cat.

Dezel squirmed as she got his shirt up and began to feel over his abdomen, his blush deepening. Judging from what the air currents told him of the look on her face, it seemed she approved of what she'd managed to find so far, but part of him was self-conscious, uncertain as to whether she'd continued to like what she found as more garments came off. He'd never thought much of his own appearance, especially after going blind. Regardless, the sensation of Rose's fingertips trailing over his skin was enough send a jolt of need through him and get him to pull his shirt up and off.

"... _well_. Look at you." Rose blinked at him as he tossed his shirt onto the nearby table, her gaze traveling from his collarbones down to his bare stomach. 

"What?" Was that a compliment? Dezel couldn't tell. 

"I'd always wondered if tattoos were a wind seraph thing or just a Zaveid thing," she clarified as she began to trace the white lines that crossed his chest. "Also who knew you were hiding a bod like this? I could get used to looking at this all the time."

If Rose was out to make her seraph partner as red in a face as possible, she was doing a good job of it. Dezel closed his eyes as she followed the markings on his torso with her fingers, then began feeling over his chest and down his sides before rubbing at his abdominal muscles with the sides of her thumbs. While he wasn't as quite as obviously muscular as Zaveid, he was still in excellent shape, his lithe body boasting defined muscles beneath his dark skin.

"Lafarga had tattoos, too," Dezel explained as he tried not to move too much under her roving hands, relieved that she was pleased with him, but trying not to give away where he was overly sensitive. He didn't put it past Rose to start tickling him if the urge struck her. "Since he had them, I wanted some as well, and he told me they were like a rite of passage."

"So when you prove yourself or when you're old enough to be an adult by seraphim standards? Huh."

"Both, though the latter's more important."

"Guess that makes sense, since even among humans turning a certain age doesn't automatically make someone mature."

"Huh, tell me about it. Besides, not every wind seraph gets them, anyway. Lafarga used to say they were more common among older seraphim, the ones who had been through rougher times in the distant past."

Rose laughed a little. "Further proof Zaveid's an old man, huh?"

Dezel had to grin at that. "Yeah. You should call him that next time he shows up and hits on you."

"I just might do that. I might also tell him I'm as good as taken now, too, and by someone who doesn't like the idea of sharing," she replied, tone smug enough that his grin broadened. "But enough about the old man... I still have too many clothes on. Gotta keep pace with you!"

Taking the bottom edges of her tunic in hand, Rose pulled it up and off, dropping it to the floor and causing Dezel's eyes to widen. Gods, he really was rather cute when flustered. Leaning up against him, their chests pressed together, she kissed his cheek and took his hands in hers, guiding them around back.

"Can you unclasp my bra for me?" Her smile was far too evident in her almost teasing tone.

"Y-yeah, not like it's hard," he replied as the first hook came undone, trying to make a show of not being almost overwhelmed by the feeling of her half bare body against his own.

"I just asked since it seems like you're easily distracted."

"What's that supposed to mean? My focus is entirely on you–"

The rest of whatever Dezel meant to say never made it out, Rose kissing him again and nipping his lower lip to get his mouth open. Dezel's breath caught, though he was quick to comply with her request, letting her in before pushing back and taking some initiative. As she began to suck on his tongue, however, practically purring around it while her hands massaged the base of his neck, Dezel found his ability to make his own hands work flagging somewhat. Rose giggled quietly, pressing in as much as possible, tugging on his tongue while reveling in the taste of him. Finally, her bra loosened entirely, the straps falling to the sides and she let him go, a knowing smile on her face as she sat back a moment to discard the lacy undergarment off to one side.

"Turn off the winds, Dezel. Just for a few minutes, at least." She could already feel the air moving restlessly, though gently around her. Truth be told, it gave her a bit of a thrill, but it wasn't as exciting as physical contact. Seeing Dezel's line of sight immediately drawn to her chest despite his blindness, his cheeks now as red as her hair was definitely amusing, however. "Hands and mouth only for right now."

Dezel grunted in acknowledgement and the air stilled, his hands lifting with some hesitation to find and settle on her sides. Realizing that he might fumble a bit even with touch to guide him, Rose used her own hands to urge his up higher, moving them until his palms were situated over her breasts. Carefully, he began to feel over her warm skin, squeezing a little and rubbing his thumbs over her nipples, causing them to harden. Rose moaned in response, arching into his touch before leaning in to kiss the side of his face.

That he was being allowed to touch Rose like this was, in some ways, startling to Dezel. He supposed he would get used to it soon enough, though for the moment he couldn't help but maintain a degree of caution, if just to see what did and did not please the woman who had just talked him into losing his virginity with her. Still, there was no denying the hunger building inside him. How long had he wanted this? Years, really. He supposed he should've realized that he felt something for Rose the day her engagement to Prince Konan was announced, if just due to how quickly envy had risen within him. In the years that followed, however, he'd convinced himself that wanting her was pointless. She would never know he existed, let alone want him. 

Yet, here they were, with her half naked in his lap, encouraging him to kiss her cheeks, her jaw, the side of her neck... Dezel growled softly as he pressed his lips to her skin, working his way down slowly with open mouthed kisses. Rose ran her fingers back through his hair, the sighs and soft hums of pleasure coming out of her encouraging him to continue. 

"Don't be afraid to use your teeth a little."

He paused near her right collarbone, uncertain. "You're sure?"

Her hands pressed a little harder at the back of his neck. "I like things a little rough. Besides, you're holding back, aren't you? I'd bet you'd like to leave me with a few scrapes and red marks. Give me a few reminders of where you've been."

Dezel moistened his lips, still somewhat unsure, before kissing her collar bone and then giving her a bit of a nip. Rose gasped and hugged him tighter, one hand against the back of his head, fingers splayed in his hair. Encouraged by the reaction, Dezel brought his mouth to the base of her neck, giving her another open mouthed kiss before sucking at her skin. As he worked up a nice red mark, one that might progress into a bruise, his own grip on her tightened, another growl working its way out of him. He could sense Rose's pulse quickening, her breathing becoming deeper as she rested her head against his. 

"Lower," she breathed as he finally took his mouth from her neck. "I need your mouth all over me..."

Eager to please, Dezel began to kiss and nip his way down, getting both arms around Rose to draw her up higher. Faced with her bare breasts, he hesitated just a moment before letting his tongue flick out, experimentally licking one nipple. Rose pushed a little at the back of his head in response, urging him to move forward. He paused just a moment to kiss the center of her chest, then took her into his mouth, sucking at the hardened nub. The sound that came out of Rose was almost one of relief, one of her hands moving to fondle her other breast while his hands moved over her back, kneading and rubbing.

Before long, Dezel was leaning back in the chair, setting himself at almost a forty five degree angle so he could better situate Rose on top of him while he spoiled her. It was much needed attention, apparently, judging by the way she pressed in and cupped the back of his head, encouraging him to keep her in his mouth. It was urging he eagerly accepted; the taste of her was addictive – better than he ever imagined – and one he knew he was going to relish over and over again so long as she allowed it. 

"Gods, that feels good," Rose managed as he used his tongue to rub at her nipple. "Scrape me a little bit..."

At the command, the wonderful sensation of his warm mouth and tongue was joined by the brief, hot feeling of his pointed teeth scratching the underside of her breast. Unable to help herself, Rose ground down against Dezel's lower abdomen, eliciting another growl from her partner.

When he felt he had spent enough time on one side, Dezel switched to the other, now eager to give both her breasts an equal amount of attention. As his lips closed around her nipple, Rose noticed with satisfaction that his grip on her was more possessive as he hugged her to him. The pull of his mouth was also stronger, _hungrier_... Burying her nose in his soft hair, Rose kissed at Dezel's head, her nails scraping the sides of his neck before her hands moved to caress his jaw, encouraging him further. He nuzzled in closer in response, suckling harder, enough to get her to gasp and shudder a bit.

"You really seem to like that," Rose commented with a wry smile as Dezel finally let her slip from his mouth, her gaze on him as he licked his lips. 

He smirked up at her. "Are you saying you mind?" 

"Hardly, obviously. It's just interesting to find out your preferences little by little."

Granted, she wasn't the only one discovering them, either. This little adventure was one of discovery for Dezel, himself, as well... 

...though Rose had to figure she'd found the best one yet as Dezel pulled himself more upright again, letting her ease back down into his lap. While the temptation to touch him through his pants was definitely present and the urge to grind on him even moreso, Rose decided to forego both options in favor of getting the seraph's belts off and his pants undone instead. Knowing full well such swift action to expose him might cause him to lock up again, Rose kissed him as soon as he opened his mouth to say something. Pressing in, she managed to distract him long enough to get his belt straps pushed aside and his pants opened up. In went her hand hardly a second later, right between his pants and undergarments, turning so that her palm rubbed over his arousal. Dezel gasped into her mouth in surprise, then broke away to moan weakly as he sagged in the chair.

"Lords, _Rose_..."

She grinned wickedly, leaning over him as she turned a good portion of her attention to stroking him through the thin fabric, working him further up bit by bit and gauging his overall size as he grew harder. Soft, shuddering moans filled her ears as she added to the experience by kissing and nibbling at his neck. Judging from the way one of his hands gripped the arm rest and how the other tensed against her side, his toes were probably curling in his boots. _Good._

"Guess putting your mouth all over my chest was a nice turn on," she purred before taking a moment to nuzzle the side of Dezel's neck. "This has been better than unwrapping a birthday gift."

"I...take it you're not disappointed?" he managed to ask before she caused his breath to hitch by giving his shaft a light squeeze.

"Definitely not. And don't worry, we'll move to the bed in a minute here. Sex in a chair can be a good time and so can hand jobs, but we'll keep it straightforward for your first time around. Besides, I want to see you completely naked and laid out in front of me, then use you as my personal mattress."

Dezel's eyes closed at the pleasing thought of Rose laying atop him, breathing a little on the shaky side as she brought him to full arousal. Rose kissed him again, then sat back to massage his swollen length a few more seconds before sliding out of his lap. 

While she stripped down to her panties, Dezel managed to get his boots off, then gained his feet to follow her lead. As his pants hit the floor, Rose took him by one hand, an eager grin on her face as she pulled him toward the bed, still unmade from the night before. No sooner was Dezel was up on the mattress than Rose followed and all but tackled him onto his back, laughing at his expression of surprise and mild indignance before kissing him firmly.

"You know, you really are pretty cute when you get all flustered. Makes all this just that much more fun!" The words were spoken merrily as Rose drew back to slip her panties off, then pull down his boxers. 

"Hmph, it'd figure you'd get off on giving me a rough time."

"I wouldn't say I get off on it..."

"Then what would you say?"

Rose hummed in thought as she discarded their undergarments over the side of the bed, then straddled Dezel's legs so that his straining erection was before her. Using one hand, she stroked him loosely a couple of times, then took him lightly in her grip as she positioned herself over him. 

"I'd just say I like seeing you enjoying yourself."

Though largely distracted by anticipation, Dezel did manage to turn his attention toward Rose's face as she hovered over him. "That's...kind of sweet, actually."

"You deserve more than you think, Dezel, so just accept good things when they come along." And speaking of good things...

Some part of Rose really did want to take him in slowly and allow Dezel the chance to savor the feeling of penetrating her inch by inch. Unfortunately, that plan went out the window as soon as she lowered herself enough to get the head of his cock inside her. Suddenly, she couldn't wait. It had been too long. Fortunately, her own want and arousal had already left her wet enough that as she lost all control and pushed her hips back and down with all haste, he slid into her with relative ease. Regardless, ease or no, Rose couldn't help but groan as he stretched her, rocking her hips right off the bat to get every bit of him possible inside her. Dezel wasn't the only greedy one between the two of them.

Beneath her, Dezel shuddered from head to toe as her heat suddenly surrounded him, her walls pressing in as she adjusted her position and _squeezed_ his length, causing his hips to buck. Rose rolled her hips in response, then leaned down over him as he tugged at her, his mouth hungry for hers once more. As they kissed, Dezel ran his hands down along her sides, letting them come to rest on her hips as she eased him into a moderately comfortable pace.

"It's so tempting right now to ride you as hard as I can," she admitted as they paused for breath between kisses, her teeth grazing his jaw. "It's been way too long since I felt this good."

"If you want to, Rose..."

"I do, but I also wanted draw this out a little." She paused as rubbed her just right, her brow furrowing as she ground down against him in response, moaning as heat pooled in her core and sent jolts of pleasure up her spine. "I want more time to play with you next time around, too..."

"Sounds like you already have plans." He engaged her again, distracting her from an immediate reply as he kissed her and sucked at her lower lip a moment. 

"Mmm, you bet I do." Unable to help herself, she stepped up the pace another notch, kissing her way down to his neck. "I already can't get enough of you! You and that tongue and those teeth of yours..."

"R-Rose..." Her name was ground out between grunts as Dezel shut his eyes, gripping her tighter. 

"I want to see what makes you tick and drive you into a frenzy... I want to roll around with you until I'm covered in your scent and too shaky to stand on my own two feet!"

Body flush with his, Rose bit at his neck, causing him to snarl, encouraging him to thrust into her with greater fervency. His eyes tightly shut and warmth swiftly overtaking him, Dezel gasped and groaned as he reveled in her dirty talk. Lords, how did anything feel this _good_? He licked his lips, lost in the heavenly friction each hard, fast stroke of his length created. Moving with him, Rose sucked at his earlobe, drawing another desperate groan out of her seraph before blessing him with more of her own vocalizations. Such beautiful sounds...

"You want to eat me up, don't you?" she half gasped into his ear as his nails dug into her. "It's what you've always wanted, isn't it? Judging from how quickly you took to working that hot mouth of yours over me, you must be _starving_..."

"Lords, _yes_..." he hissed out between his teeth, head held back to better expose his neck as Rose continued to assault him with rough nips and hungry, open mouthed kisses. "I want you, I need you and _I'm going to devour you!_ "

Shifting his weight suddenly, Dezel rolled them both over and caught Rose between himself and the mattress. Hardly had she time to gasp in surprise before his mouth covered hers, kissing her with a deep growl as he began to thrust himself into her with renewed passion, the motion of his hips driving him deep inside her with each swift return stroke. Getting her arms around his neck and wrapping her legs around his lower half, Rose whimpered and moaned against his mouth before breaking away to gasp his name. She pulled at him with both legs, needing the vicious pace to continue, her blood racing in her veins as his primal vocalizations echoed in her ears.

"Gods, Dezel-!"

"So warm, so _good_..." His tongue dragged over her skin, tasting her from her neck up to her ear, a shuddering breath signaling his fast approach to climax. Starting to lose consistency in his lunges, Dezel curled his fingers against the sheets, burying his face in his partner's hair. "Oh, Rose..."

Rose rolled her hips hard against him in response, one hand tangling in his hair as she urged him to give her just a bit more. The heat between them felt like it had fully invaded her core, part of her wanting it to never end and yet another desperate to feel that final burst of physical euphoria. Turning her head, she kissed at his ear, shakily breathing his name, her gasps becoming louder and sharper...

A ragged, throaty moan preceded the end for Dezel, the seraph shoving himself in hard before coming deep inside her. Rose clutched at him as his hot release filled her, the sensation along with his hips still rocking roughly against hers enough to send her over the edge, as well. A few tears slipped free as she came, the sensation of pleasure burning through her in an overwhelming wave. Dezel shivered and panted as he felt her spasm around him, one more shameless groan escaping him as she involuntarily gave his length one last, good squeeze. Slowly, they wound down from there, Rose's grip slackening little by little as Dezel caused the air around them to move, creating enough of a breeze to help them both cool off.

"Mm, damn... It'd been way too long, but that was definitely worth the wait." Though still a little out of breath, Rose grinned as she ran her hands back through Dezel's hair then turned his head to kiss him again. "C'mere. I'm not ready to let you out, yet."

Dezel smiled against her mouth as he kissed her back, settling over top of her and sighing in contentment. Rubbing gently at the side of one of his legs with her foot, Rose took a little time to enjoy the taste of his mouth and savor the wonderful, full feeling he provided while still inside her.

"It might be another couple of weeks before we can do this again, so I'm just trying to get the most out of this while I can," she admitted between kisses. "I get the feeling you really don't mind, either."

"Hardly. I'd be out of my mind to complain about this."

Gently touching the sides of his face, Rose stroked his cheeks and looked into his blind eyes, marveling for just a moment at how even though Dezel had been hurt - damaged, even - there were other sides to him besides his frustration and anger. He spent a lot of time being standoffish and grouchy, but here was this other side to him, one that knew how to smile and express love, even if he was awkward in his attempts. Granted, his mistakes and poor choices had created a rift between them for a while, yet Rose hoped more than ever that the past was behind them and that this was truly a fresh start for them both.

Turning his head, Dezel kissed the palm of one of Rose's hands before slowly drawing back and pulling clear. As he flopped down on the bed beside her on his back, she rolled over onto her side, smiling fondly as he reached for her, pulling her close enough to place a kiss over her heart.

"We're going to be late meeting up with the others," Dezel said quietly after a moment, his forehead pressed to her chest and disappointment evident in his voice. He really didn't want this to end.

"They can wait," Rose replied softly as she kneaded at the back of his neck. "It's only a few minutes, anyway."

"Mm." The low hum of agreement was the only verbal response from Dezel as he took one of her nipples into his mouth again, sucking gently at her supple skin and snuggling close against her.

Rose shivered and sighed, hugging him close and allowing him one last taste before they would need to climb out of bed, clean up and get their clothes back on. She couldn't complain about having another moment or two with his arms around her, either. Not having this for several days after... It would be difficult, but at least he was there with her, the two of them bound by open mutual affection now.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised you've got some kind of oral fixation, what with that tongue and those teeth," Rose teased gently between pleased little sounds. "I'm not complaining, though."

"Hmph, it's not my fault you taste so damn good." Dezel ran his spade shaped tongue over his lips, then switched sides before Rose could remind him of the time again, tugging at the tip of her breast with his mouth for a few seconds. 

"You greedy bastard. You're going to make me want a second round with you when we should be getting dressed..."

Dezel chuckled quietly at Rose's attempt to reprimand him, easily able to hear the want in her tone. It was odd that she was being the more responsible of the two of them for once, but then again this was a chance he never thought he'd have and he was reluctant stop without just a little more indulgence, which included nipping her collarbones, kissing her breasts and licking her pert nipples, swirling his long tongue around them.

"Fuck, _Dezel_..." Rose shut her eyes tightly, then gave into the urge to take his cock in hand, carefully stroking him. "Oh hell with this, they are just going to have to wait..."

Dezel shuddered and groaned as she got her hand on him again, his earlier orgasm having left him quite sensitive, but not so much that a little bit of gentle encouragement wasn't enough to overcome it. He shut his eyes as she worked him back up again, breath warm against her skin as he continued to lick her.

"You're sure about this, Rose? If one of them comes back to check..."

"Hey, you're the one who couldn't keep your hands and your mouth to yourself. Don't back out on me now!"

Rose squeezed her legs together, need quickly rising in her again as she glanced down the length of his body. He was hardening up, quicker than she expected, but then again perhaps she shouldn't be so surprised. Not only was Dezel young by his own race's standards, he wasn't human. His stamina by comparison to the average human male was probably pretty impressive, even for a guy who'd only just lost his virginity. Her hand slipped down to massage his balls briefly, drawing a needy whine from her seraph before she resumed stroking his growing erection.

"Kiss me. I want that tongue of yours again," she instructed before leaning down over him. The added indirect stimulation would aid in his arousal, enough so that she could take him back in once more.

As their parted lips met, Dezel eagerly slid his tongue into her mouth, eyes closing as she began to suck on it. Meanwhile his hands remained on her breasts, kneading and caressing, his fingers pinching at her nipples. Rose moaned around his tongue and rubbed at his tip, feeling him throb as he became fully ridged.

"Gods, I hope you're ready because I already can't wait any longer!" Pulling back, Rose climbed on top of him again and took him in with a deep, relieved sigh, this time managing to ease down with a bit more restraint than before. Sitting atop him, she reached back and down behind herself and toyed with his balls a little more, getting a sharp hiss of approval out of her partner. She then leaned down over him, trying to position herself so that she could present her chest to him despite her shorter stature. When she spoke again, her tone was teasing. "Still hungry?"

Dezel blushed at the question, but grinned nonetheless, albeit a bit sheepishly. "Yeah. Very."

"Then you worry about keeping your mouth busy while I manage the rest."

It was a generous offer, but to be fair, Dezel had outdone himself the first time around, exceeding her expectations. She hadn't thought him ready to take the initiative, to pin her to the mattress and fuck her with such wild fervency. His enthusiasm when fully unleashed was a relentlessness she found all too attractive, though, the rough pace and primal urgency a turn on in and of itself. She'd have to remember how well he responded to dirty talk for future romps between them.

Movements slow, Rose rocked down against her lover with purpose, eyes closing as she began to draw him in and out. Her toes curled as she did so, her mind drifting momentarily to marvel over how good of a fit Dezel already seemed in more ways than one. Some of her past lovers, one night stand or otherwise, hadn't always been so ready to indulge her need play to rough. Yet here was her seraph, currently nipping at the plump underside of one of her breasts, leaving her with a series of beautiful little red scrapes and love bites. 

Dezel rolled his hips enough to help keep pace, unwilling to let Rose do all the work. Still, his primary focus was doing as asked, a deep, almost purr-like growl building in his throat as he sucked a small red mark into being on the side of one of her breasts while his breeze teased at her nipples to keep them perked, still damp with his saliva. 

"Suck on me," she breathed, tilting her hips for a better angle and not bothering to swallow a groan as his head and shaft rubbed at her in all the right ways.

"Mm, you got it, boss," Dezel responded with a smirk before taking one nub into his mouth, rolling his tongue around it before stimulating it further with some nice, tight suction.

Rose shivered from head to toe, not having expected him to call her that and hardly prepared for her own reaction it. Grinding down hard and pulling a growling groan out of Dezel, she licked her lips in sudden need.

"Say that again..."

"Say what again?"

"You know what I mean." Once more, she pushed herself down hard, encouraging him to follow her order with a little positive reinforcement.

Dezel thrust upward in response, then breathed out the words his partner was looking for. "You got it, boss."

Rose trembled again and gasped sharply. Dezel grinned up at her.

"You would have a thing for being in charge..."

"I am the one on top right now."

"So you are...boss." The words were followed up with more heat as Dezel fondled her breasts and squeezed them together gently, bringing her nipples alongside one another so he could get his lips around both at once.

Rose gasped again as she increased their pace with growing desperation. The seal Dezel's mouth created around her soft skin was imperfect in trying to take in more than the usual mouthful, creating a lewd, greedy sound that was almost as delicious as direct stimulation. Behind that were his own low pleased vocalizations, somewhat muffled but still audible none the less.

The situation was rapidly reaching a point where nearly all of Rose's self restraint was gone, however. Everything felt too good and yet she still wanted more. As Dezel finally released her from his mouth, she managed to grab both his hands and pin them along either side of his head, her fingers interlocking with his. With a grunt, she shoved herself down against him hard, causing him to curse loudly and invoke the Five Lords. Pain was not an issue, however, not if the way he bucked back up under her was any indication. 

"Ride me hard," he managed between nearly gritted teeth. "You said you wanted to earlier, so grind me into the mattress already!"

"Dezel...!" Rose squeezed at his hands in response and continued to force herself down against him, relentlessly chasing that second physical high. "Remember you asked for this!"

"Take what you want from me, Rose," he gasped as struggled to hang in, a guttural groan interrupting him as the friction between them threatened to drive him mad. " _Break me!_ "

Teeth gritted, Rose cut loose. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she rode Dezel hard, forcing him to keep pace with her as she used his cock to stroke her walls to the point of mind numbing pleasure. Beneath her, Dezel gasped, hands gripping hers almost painfully as his blind eyes shut tightly. Rose herself was soon panting, teetering on the edge of release as she pushed herself, trying to go just a little faster. Just a bit more, she was almost there...

Dezel came a moment later with a loud groan, hips quivering underneath her. Even as exhaustion threatened to claim him, however, it was clear that Rose was still seeking climax. Freeing one hand, he reached up and dragged her down completely, mouth covering the side of her neck.

"Bite me-!" The desperate command came with a sudden motion of her other hand, Rose taking Dezel by the wrist and forcing his hand between them. 

Though it took him a moment to understand what she was after, Dezel eagerly complied once realization struck. One arm around her, he pricked her neck with his teeth, enough draw a little blood and cause her to cry out in a mix of pleasure and pain. As he sucked at her skin, prolonging the hot sensation, he simultaneously pushed a finger on his other hand amidst the top of her folds, cock still buried in her while he rubbed at her clit. Rose opened her mouth to cry out, but only a small, choked sound made it out as she clawed at the sheets beside him before finding a hold, gripping a handful of white fabric. For a few seconds she tensed against him, pressed into his touch, the last moments of building ecstasy almost too much bear. Then it was over, Dezel managing to tip her over the edge with a few well timed strokes and causing her to let out a sobbing gasp.

Feeling her tighten around him, Dezel growled against her neck and massaged her just a little more, helping to extend her orgasm before he finally fell back against the bed, worn from head to toe. Rose collapsed against him after, breathing hard but still managing a soft, breathless laugh, regardless.

"...so, did I break you?"

Dezel grunted underneath her, both eyes still shut. "Tch, tell the others we're staying here another day. I can't walk."

Rose poked him in the side before rolling off him. "You big wuss, you and the others always end up hitching a ride with me on the road, anyway."

Another more resigned grunt followed and Dezel stretched a little, but made no other attempts to move just yet. As she looked down at him, one hand brushing his bangs back, Rose noticed with some degree of alarm that his cheeks were damp with tear trails. 

"Hey, are you alright? I didn't actually hurt you, did I?" Rose asked as she carefully touched one side of his face. It seemed a strange question to ask, given he was the one who'd bitten her, but he'd also never been to bed with anyone before. Maybe she'd gone too far, somehow, even with what he allowed and even asked her to do.

"No..." His eyes opened, blind gaze turning in her direction. "It's just..."

"Just what...?"

He glanced away. "Just nothing. I'm fine."

"Dezel!" Undeterred and a tad upset that he wasn't being open with her, Rose set a hand against his cheek and leaned further over him to force him to "look" at her. "C'mon, if I hurt you, even on accident, you need to tell me so it doesn't happen again."

For a long moment he said nothing, merely lifting one hand to cover hers before he brought her into his supposed line of sight again. Then, after a small sigh, he finally relented. "You didn't hurt me. I just... I'm happy right now. That's all."

"You're..." Rose trailed off before laughing a little in relief and settling alongside him to kiss his cheeks. "I'm glad, and this isn't anything to be ashamed of, alright?"

"I know it shouldn't be, but..." He shook his head, unable to finish and hoping she'd understand.

"You didn't want to get all sappy and overly emotional about this," she finished and, after a beat, he nodded. Taking his hand in hers, she kissed his knuckles before offering him a fond smile. "It's fine. And like I said before, I like knowing you're enjoying yourself. I think after all this time, you deserve to be happy. You've been through enough."

"Rose, I don't-"

"Dezel," she interrupted, unwilling to let him tear himself down yet again, "stop. You are more than your mistakes and ever since we cleared the air months ago, you've been nothing but careful. Penance is fine, but you have to let yourself live, too."

The air moved around them as though momentarily uneasy and Dezel gripped her hand just a fraction tighter, the wind seraph thoughtfully silent a moment. When he spoke again, his tone was hesitant. "Sorry. I've always been afraid that, even in a one in a million chance of this happening, I'd do nothing but take. I want you to be happy, too."

Experience had long since taught Rose that sometimes people could be at their most vulnerable following sex. While they did need to clean up and leave the inn, this wasn't an opportunity that she could let pass her by. Dezel was open and vulnerable, baring himself more emotionally than he usually did and thus now was a good time to connect on another level, to further tear down what barriers remained between them.

"I am happy, Dezel." The admission came with smile, her thumb rubbing gently at the side of his hand as she gazed down into his eyes. "Sometimes I think about what could've happened if Sorey hadn't told me what was going on, if we hadn't had that argument at the inn in Pendrago...and it scares me. You had so little to live for back then, I can't help but think we might've somehow lost you that night. That we didn't, that you're still here... That makes me happy."

"Rose..." Dezel swallowed thickly, a few fresh tears rolling down the sides of his face. She wasn't wrong and he knew it. He'd purposely tried to distance himself from the others, set on the idea that avenging Lafarga and the Windriders was worth almost anything, even his own life. No one should've bothered to care about him, least of all Rose. "Why... Why did you ever care so much?"

"Maybe because after that night, I've always felt that even if you did screw up a lot, it all started because _you_ cared so much. You didn't want to lose what mattered most to you." She paused as she dropped her gaze down to their joined hands. "And I don't, either. It's why I want you to stay with me, something I was sure of even before today."

Dezel couldn't help but blush in embarrassment. Rose really did have him figured better than he thought. Embarrassment quickly turned to surprise as she continued speaking, however. "You were...?"

"At some point, I might want to pass the mantle of Shepherd onto someone else. Well, if there ever _is_ anyone else. You know, retire and go back to helping people the way I did before Sorey came along. I've always thought Lailah and the others would stick with whoever took my place, but...I wasn't sure where you'd end up."

Suddenly, there were butterflies in his stomach. Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, Dezel drew it closer and placed her palm against the center of his chest. "With you, Rose. Wherever you go, as long as you want me around. It was what I wanted before all of this."

"Even if I'm a heathen, huh?" She couldn't help but attempt to lighten the mood a little and was glad to see that, following a look of mild surprise, Dezel managed to crack a smile. "You're my partner, Dezel. And I guess 'boyfriend' and 'lover' also apply now, right? So you're damn right I want you around."

Leaning in, Rose kissed the tears from one of his cheeks, then brushed the other with the side of her thumb before pressing a tender kiss to his lips. Dezel's arms encircled her in response, the pair letting their comfortable contact linger. Still, for as much as they both would've liked to remain in bed a good deal longer, enjoying one another's company, they didn't have all morning to lay about. Breaking the kiss, Rose gently bumped her forehead against Dezel's, their noses touching briefly before she finally pulled away. Even so, one of his hands followed her, fingertips gracing the side of her throat.

"How's your neck?" he asked, his breeze ruffling her hair around the area. "My teeth didn't sink in too deep, did they? I meant to ask sooner, but..."

Well, they'd had a moment. It was one Rose had picked to pursue, so she could hardly blame him for getting distracted.

Reaching up with one hand, Rose felt around the area. "It's a little sore, but I told you to bite me, didn't I? It's just a few deep scratches, anyway. Nothing that won't heal for the most part in a few days, especially if I clean them out good."

Besides, it wasn't like she was without blemishes following their romp. Little red scratch marks and bruises were all over her chest in various places, as well as on the other side of her neck. Dezel himself hadn't escaped unscathed, either, but certainly didn't seem to mind the hickies and bite marks on his neck and around his collarbones.

"And speaking of cleaning, I should wash up real quick and get dressed so we can go." Getting off the bed, Rose stretched and began to retrieve her clothes. "I think we're about a half hour late at this point."

Pushing himself up with a grunt, Dezel eased himself to the bed's edge where he sat for a moment, still not entirely keen on getting back on his feet. "Huh, I just hope no one gets nosy enough to ask what kept us."

"You know Mikleo probably will."

"Do you really want to tell him the reason?"

Rose grinned over her shoulder as she headed for the tub and basin on one side of the room. "Why not? The look on his face would be priceless. Besides, they'll all find out eventually, anyway."

Dezel rubbed at the side of his neck, not entirely comfortable with the idea, but realizing he'd probably just have to suck it up. "Suppose you're right. They'd just better not take issue with it."

"Hey, if I'm allowed to have you to myself for a couple hours every other week, the whole issue of me being 'distracted' in battle should be solved."

"Tch, so that _is_ why Edna and Lailah wanted to talk to you in the first place?"

"Yeah. Something about working things out with you so I wouldn't need to be bailed out in the middle of fights anymore." The splashing of water followed as Rose began cleaning up.

Getting to his feet, Dezel finally began to get his own clothes together. "Well, it _was_ something of a problem."

"Hey, not my fault you're nice to look at!"

Blushing again for what felt like the dozenth time that day, Dezel made his way over, his clothes tucked under one arm. "...whatever. Just make some room so I can get cleaned up, too."

"Can't wait your turn, huh?" Rose's voice was muffled as she scrubbed at her face with a wash cloth. "Then again, not like we've got the time, I guess."

"No, we don't. I thought sharing space like this was something people in a relationship do, anyway," he said before setting his clothes down and leaning over the basin to splash some water over his face. 

"They also take baths together sometimes, which we are _definitely_ doing next time."

"Part of the aforementioned plans you have?"

"You betcha! You don't have a problem with that, do you?"

Grabbing a towel, Dezel dried his face off before smiling at his partner. "No, I don't. It...sounds nice, actually."

"Good! Now let's get cleaned up from the waist down, get dressed and get out of here. Preferably before we push our luck too much and one of the others jumps right back into me without warning to see what's up."

* * *

"They're almost an hour late. We should go back and see what's taking so long."

Mikleo stood near the gate leading out of town with a hand on his hip, looking rather annoyed. Close by, Edna sat up on a wooden crate with her booted feet swinging idly back and forth, her closed umbrella across her lap. Lailah stood beside her, a few sheets of paper in hand as she hummed and read the earth seraph's fortune.

"Seems you'll soon meet up with an old acquaintance, Edna," Lailah said cheerfully from behind her handful of paper slips. 

Edna shrugged one shoulder, a frown pulling at her lips. "That better not mean we'll run into Zaveid again. I could go another couple of weeks without having to deal with him."

"Oh, Edna, you don't mean that! I think it would be nice to see Zaveid again. It has been a while."

"Not like I hate him completely. He's just better in small doses. Preferably ones that are far apart."

Eyes narrowing a fraction, Mikleo cleared his throat to get their attention and change the subject. Not that Edna admitting that she didn't absolutely hate someone was a bad thing, but there were other more pressing matters at the moment. "Aren't either of you concerned? We're losing daylight here."

"Yeah, but I'm not going to be the one to go back to see what's going on," Edna responded flatly. "You can if you want, but you'll probably regret it if you do."

The water seraph folded his arms across his chest. "And just what is that supposed to mean?"

"Rose and Dezel did have some rather...delicate matters to discuss," Lailah answered before Edna could offer a blunt response. "It wouldn't be right to barge in on them!"

Mikleo frowned, not looking all that convinced by that reasoning. "Alright. So how long should we wait before someone does something? We can't just stand around out here all day."

Opening her umbrella, Edna twirled it about. One might take that as a warning sign of potential pokings and proddings. "So impatient, Meebo. It's not like we even have anywhere important to be right now and it's nice here in the shade, away from the crowds."

"It's just the eagerness of youth!" Lailah said with a smile and a clap of her hands. "But what say we give them another fifteen minutes before one of us goes to check? I'm sure that will be enough time. I could always tell your fortune while we wait, Mikleo!"

"Will it have anything to do with travel delays?" For a water seraph, Mikleo's humor could come across as rather dry at points.

Fortunately, it was as Lailah began to shuffle her slips of paper to prove Mikleo wrong that Rose walked up, offering a loose salute in greeting. 

"Hey, guys! Sorry for making you wait. My little chat with Dezel went longer than I thought it would, but we're good to go, now."

Mikleo turned, looking to Rose before glancing around in mild confusion. "Where's Dezel? He didn't leave, did he...?"

Rose shook her head and then put her hand over her chest. "Nah, he's here. Just resting. Our talk sort of wore him out."

"Seriously?" Mikleo's eyebrows arched. "That must've been one intense conversation."

"Probably more intense than you know," Edna commented as she hopped down from the crate and wandered over. 

The younger seraph eyed his elder with some degree of suspicion. "Yeah, and what's that supposed to mean?"

Edna shrugged and twirled her parasol. "I'll tell you when you're older."

"You don't have to treat me like a kid, you know!"

"Fine." The earth seraph cast a rather coolly wicked, if knowing glance in Rose's direction before glancing over at Mikleo again. "They were probably having sex."

"... _what?!_ " Mikleo stared aghast at Edna with wide eyes and flushed cheeks before turning his full attention back to their Shepherd. "She's not serious, is she? _Rose!_ "

"Oh, c'mon! What's the big deal?" Rose shrugged at him, utterly unconcerned. "It's probably completely solved the whole distraction during battles issue."

"Oh my..." Lailah had her handful of paper slips held up, conveniently hiding the lower half of her face, though it was still easy enough to see that she was both smiling and blushing. "So you two really have worked everything out, then?"

"Yep!" Rose was all smiles, placing her hands confidently on her hips. "You guys are just going to have to give Dezel and I little space once in a while, though. Couple quality time and all that."

Edna turned away with a light huff though whether it was truly out of disgust or not was hard to tell. "Ungh, barf. Just give us plenty of warning so we can be away from the inn or wherever while you guys are going at it."

"I'll have to second that." Mikleo's cheeks were almost ridiculously red by that point, the water seraph covering the lower half of his face with one hand.

"Now, now, I think we should be happy for Rose and Dezel," Lailah interjected gently. "Granted, it's a very non-traditional relationship, but honest love is almost always a beautiful thing, regardless."

"Tch, why is there so much noise out there?" Dezel's voice echoed out of Rose suddenly, the wind seraph still managing to be a grouch despite having just been laid. "Can the lot of you just shut up already?"

"Cranky much?" Edna retorted as she turned back around. "Still, the less we talk about our Shepherd's sex life, the better."

"That may be for the best," Lailah agreed with a small chuckle before turning to lead the way to the gate. "Shall we hit the road, then?"

In a flash of light, Dezel materialized alongside Rose, one hand immediately going for his hat to pull the brim down, likely to hide the fact that he was a bit red in the face. "Rose, you go on ahead with Lailah and Edna. I want to talk to Mikleo for a minute."

"Huh?" Rose glanced up at her wind seraph in mild surprise before shrugging. "Alright. Just don't lag too far behind!"

As they left town for the open road, Lailah and Edna vanishing inside of Rose, Dezel set a hand on Mikleo's shoulder to hold him up a moment. Once their Shepherd was a stone's throw ahead, the wind seraph nodded and they started walking, following after.

"So what's this about?" Mikleo asked as they started to put civilization behind them. "I don't really want to hear about what the two of you got up to, you know."

"Hmph, do you really think I'd talk about something so private with anyone besides Rose?" Dezel shot back, mild irritation clear in his tone.

"Well, no... I'd hope not anyway."

Dezel grunted in acknowledgement, silent a moment after while he gathered his thoughts. To his credit, Mikleo remained quiet, letting his fellow Sub Lord take his time. It was unusual for Dezel to want to speak to him alone, so whatever he had to say must've been of some importance.

"I've been thinking about what you said earlier," Dezel finally began, "about not wasting the time I have with Rose. You were right about that. And about not complicating matters."

Mikleo blinked up at Dezel, surprised to hear such an honest admission. After a moment, though, he smiled a little. "It's something I thought about a lot myself because of Sorey, even before he went to sleep to purify Maotelus. Humans live such short lives in comparison to us seraphim that they don't really have much time to waste. I don't think it's something Sorey ever thought about too much and I bet Rose doesn't, either, but we'll still be here a hundred years from now, maybe even a thousand if we're lucky. I always told myself that I wanted to look back on whatever time I had with Sorey and have no regrets. I guess I just didn't want to see you have that problem with Rose. At least not more than you already have, anyway."

There was no immediate response from Dezel, though the breeze moved around them and forged ahead to gently ruffle Rose's hair. The cool sensation around her neck caused Rose to glance back over one shoulder at her seraphim and though she knew not to slow her own pace, she did take a second to toss them a bright smile before setting her sights on the road ahead again.

"It was actually something I did think about when I was younger, back when Brad was still alive," Dezel admitted once Rose had turned away again. "But after he and Lafarga passed, I guess I shut the notion out. My priorities changed."

"But they've changed again, haven't they?"

"Yeah... Yeah, they have."

Mikleo's smile softened somewhat. "I'm glad. As much as I don't want to know what you two will do in your time alone, I think this is right for you both."

Dezel's head turned in the younger seraph's direction a moment, a rare smile gracing his features before he "looked" ahead again. "Thanks, kid. I haven't had a whole lot of use for hope in my life since the Windriders fell apart, but maybe I do, now. And I'll try to do right by Rose. I owe Sorey at this point, and I don't want you to tell him when he wakes up that I blew my second chance."

"Hopefully, you'll still be around to tell him, yourself."

"Yeah. Maybe I will be."

With that, the two of them vanished into pinpoints of light and rejoined the others within their Shepherd. Rose was in the midst of telling Lailah that she didn't need her fortune told for the day because she'd already gotten lucky, much to Dezel's chagrin. Despite all the fussing and teasing, however, he couldn't say he had any regrets tied to it all. Judging from Rose's amused giggling, she definitely didn't have any, either. 

This was living. It was happiness. And for the first time in a long time, everything felt completely right for them both.


End file.
